Assembly Solutions from Yaskawa Motoman

Assembly applications typically consist of multiple operations. While the operations vary with the application, we’ve listed several of the most common operations below.

Part Location

Presenting parts to robots varies widely from application to application. In the past parts needed to be precisely fixtured so that the part is always in the same position and orientation. This is expensive, time consuming and doesn’t allow for flexibility when the part type or size changes.

Our MotoSight™ vision products can help locate the parts so that the robot can pick them up precisely and consistently. This includes parts that are loosely fixtured, parts that are presented on a conveyor and in some cases parts in a box or bin.

Part Identification

Traceability and genealogy of parts is crucial to many manufacturing or production processes. Other processes simply require parts to be identified for a specific operation such as assembly or kitting. Our MotoSight products can help identify and validate parts based on part geometry (shape and size), color, barcode, markings and other features.

Part Sortation

Many manufacturing and production processes require part to be sorted. Our MotoSight vision products can help select and sort parts based on part geometry (shape and size), color, barcode, markings and other features.

Flexible Feeding

Flexible feeding is an innovative way to present parts to a robot. Parts are fed out of a bulk hopper and onto a feed surface. A feed surface may be a solid indexing or vibratory surface of a conveyor belt. A camera mounted above the feed surface locates the part and determines its orientation. The robot then picks the parts and performs the necessary operation. If the part size or type changes, you need only make minor changes to the vision locator tool and perhaps the gripper fingers. Flexible feeding is ideal for production processes requiring multiple part types or a family of parts. Our MotoSight products are ideal for flexible parts feeding.

Bowl Feeding

Typically uses a vibratory motion to advance parts from a bulk hopper. Parts are advanced from the hopper onto a rail (or into a groove) that orients the part and presents it to the robot. Bowl feeders are typically designed and built based on the part geometry and mass. Bowl feeders are well suited for applications where the part shape or size does not change. Bowl feeders are not recommended for applications where the part is expected to change.

Conveyance

Conveyance is used throughout manufacturing processes to move parts from place to place. This includes continuous belt conveyors, indexing belt conveyors and indexing pallet conveyors. Our robotic systems can work with all conveyance methods.

End-Effectors

End-effectors (or end-of-arm-tooling) are how the robot grips the parts. Complex and advanced assembly operations require the robot to accurately and precisely locate and grip the parts. Often a base actuator (often pneumatic and sometimes electric) is used to perform the open and close motion. Custom gripper fingers are attached to the actuator to ensure proper gripping of the parts. When a variety of part types and sizes are used, end-effectors can become complex.

Some operations necessitate compliance built into the end-effector. This can be done at the gripper fingers or where the end-effector attaches to the robot.

Tool Changing

Tool changing is often required for advanced assembly operations. As different part types and sizes are needed, multiple gripper configurations might be required. Tool changers provide the flexibility to automatically change end-effectors or other peripheral tooling.

Adaptive grippers are capable of grasping multiple part types and sizes and can be used in some assembly applications.

Force Sensing

Force sensing is often needed for insertion or tightening operations. A force sensor provides feedback to the robot control system and can measure forces and toques being applied at the end-effector. The feedback loop is closed very quickly (typically at 1 ms) so that the robot can pause when a desired force is achieved or alter the direction of the robot. This is especially useful when assembling a complex mechanism that involves meshing gears.

Part Fastening or Joining

Part fastening/joining is a critical part of many assembly operations. After all, the nature of assembly is bringing multiple parts together. The fastening and joining methods can vary greatly and depend upon the part types being assembled. Typical fastening methods include screwdriving, dispensing glues and adhesives, ultrasonic welding and inserting clips.

Presence / Absence

Operations often require validating if a part or a feature on a part is present or absent.  If the part/feature is present the operation continues. If the part/feature is absent, the exception can be caught and managed. Our MotoSight products can help determine presence of a part or feature based on geometry (shape and size), color, markings and other features.

Error Proofing

Error proofing is similar to Presence / Absence.  Preventing a manufacturing error before it occurs or detecting an error early in the process can save companies from shipping faulty or defective product. Detecting holes present, threads on a bolt, caps on a bottle, part in a fixture, and whether or not a part is oriented correctly are all examples of error proofing. Our MotoSight products can be applied to error proofing in virtually any application.

Visual Inspection

Shipping faulty or defective products can be devastating to a business. Machine vision has a long history in part inspection, ensuring consistent and predictable quality. Whether it’s gauging a part, detecting presence of a feature or error proofing, our MotoSight products have all the necessary inspection and data analysis tools for part inspection.

Results

Our robots and automation products can be used in a variety of assembly applications resulting in

• more manufacturing flexibility to produce a wider range products with faster time-to-market
• faster changeover times, increased system uptime and asset utilization
• increased product quality with predictable results with error checking and in-line testing
• increased productivity with shorter payback
• optimized workflow designed around your value-added processes, not your fixed automation
• elimination of expensive and dedicated hard automation

Robots

Robots not shown to scale. Click robots to download PDF data sheets.

MH3F

3 kg payload

532 mm horizontal reach

804 mm vertical reach

MH5F

5 kg payload

706 mm horizontal reach

1,193 mm vertical reach

MH5LF

5 kg payload

895 mm horizontal reach

1,560 mm vertical reach

MH5LS

5 kg payload

895 mm horizontal reach

1,560 mm vertical reach

MH5LS(MLX100)

5 kg payload

895 mm horizontal reach

1,560 mm vertical reach

MH5S

5 kg payload

706 mm horizontal reach

1,193 mm vertical reach

MH5S(MLX100)

5 kg payload

706 mm horizontal reach

1,193 mm vertical reach

MH6

6 kg payload

1,422 mm horizontal reach

2,486 mm vertical reach

MH6-10

10 kg payload

1,422 mm horizontal reach

2,486 mm vertical reach

MH6F

6 kg payload

1,422 mm horizontal reach

2,486 mm vertical reach

MH6F-10

6 kg payload

1,422 mm horizontal reach

2,486 mm vertical reach

MH6S

6 kg payload

997 mm horizontal reach

1,597 mm vertical reach

MHJF

2 kg payload

545 mm horizontal reach

909 mm vertical reach

MPP3

3 kg payload

0 mm horizontal reach

SDA10D

10 kg payload

720 mm horizontal reach

1,440 mm vertical reach

SDA10F

10 kg payload

720 mm horizontal reach

1,440 mm vertical reach

SDA20D

20 kg payload

910 mm horizontal reach

1,820 mm vertical reach

SDA20F

20 kg payload

2,590 mm horizontal reach

1,820 mm vertical reach

SDA5D

5 kg payload

845 mm horizontal reach

1,118 mm vertical reach

SDA5F

5 kg payload

845 mm horizontal reach

1,118 mm vertical reach

SIA10D

10 kg payload

720 mm horizontal reach

1,203 mm vertical reach

SIA10F

10 kg payload

720 mm horizontal reach

1,203 mm vertical reach

SIA20D

20 kg payload

910 mm horizontal reach

1,498 mm vertical reach

SIA20F

20 kg payload

910 mm horizontal reach

1,498 mm vertical reach

SIA30D

30 kg payload

1,485 mm horizontal reach

2,597 mm vertical reach

SIA50D

50 kg payload

1,630 mm horizontal reach

2,597 mm vertical reach

SIA5D

5 kg payload

559 mm horizontal reach

1,007 mm vertical reach

SIA5F

5 kg payload

559 mm horizontal reach

1,007 mm vertical reach

YS450

5 kg payload

450 mm horizontal reach

YS650

5 kg payload

650 mm horizontal reach

YS650L

5 kg payload

650 mm horizontal reach

YSH850L

20 kg payload

850 mm horizontal reach

Control, Vision & Software

• DX100
• NXM100
• MotoSight Vision Products
• Software overview

Case Studies

• Brake Adapter Plate Assemblies
• Part Frames
• Vehicle Lighting and Safety Systems
• Dual Arm Advantage (Office Chair Assembly)

Articles

• Robots Pave the Way to Growth
  Assembly
• Robots Pay for Themselves in Seven Months
  Assembly
• Robots Make Plastics Molder a Champion
  Assembly
• Automation Shines at Vehicle Safety Systems Manufacturer
  Robotics Online
• Robots Help Assembler Break the Mold
  Assembly